Bond
by turtlegirls16
Summary: He never thought he could fall in love again or believed he'd ever meet someone as good as she had been. He didn't believe anyone could ever love him as he was. But when his family makes a new friend, this young woman catches his eye. Could he be falling in love? Not sure if I'm gonna continue this, this is just a test chapter. If you want it to continue please let me know and R&R
1. Chapter 1

He was constantly watching her. She could feel his eyes staring at her back.

What had she done?

Did she seem like a threat to him? Whatever the case was, he never came forward to reveal the reason. His constant vigil made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end, but she chose to act as if she didn't notice. Maybe if she feigned ignorance he would stop. Finally answers came, one day when she had come to drop off some of the guys stuff. Being teenagers, they continually left a mess at her house after their pizza parties. Coming into the lair, she found all was quiet except for a light in the dojo. She knocked and called out to make her presence known before crossing over to the entrance of the dojo. He sat under their tree meditating. "Oh hello Master Splinter, are the guys here? I just came to drop off some of their stuff."

The rat master opened one eye and looked her up and down. "I regret to say my sons are out on patrol of the city."

The girl nodded, "Ok, then I'll just leave this in the kitchen for them so they'll see it when they get back." She turned to leave.

"Miss T!"

She stopped, that feeling beginning to creep back onto her neck.

But she put on a smile and turned to face him. "Yes?"

The sensei was standing now, he came closer but stopped a respectable distance away. "I wanted to apologize if I have made you feel.. uncomfortable."

Oh God had he read her mind?! She didn't want to make him feel bad, she just wanted him to stop staring. "I can tell you have noticed my constant vigil over the past few weeks since you have come to know us."

She nodded slowly, not sure what to say.

The sensei reached up and rubbed the back of his head, an action uncommon for the usually poised sensei. "... You remind me very much of my late wife, Tang Shen. She had many of your same mannerisms. She also cared very much for others and had a beautiful smile..." he trailed off there.

The girl stared at him.

... He had been admiring her?

She looked up at him. The embarrassment and another emotion she couldn't quite pick out spread across his face. He was an older man, not very old, but around his 60's. She was well into her 20's now, still trying to figure how to keep her head above all that had happened plus normal life. But still...

"... I take that as a compliment Master Splinter. From stories I've heard, your wife was a wonderful woman. So, it is an honor to be thought of so... warmly." She bowed slightly to him.

"...yes." The old sensei looked as if he had more to say, but could not seem to speak the words. Finally he managed to speak. "W-would you care to join me for some tea, Miss T?"

Slowly the girl nodded. "I'd like that."

...

Splinter could tell, the young lady was a bit nervous. She had tried to pretend not to notice his unconventional watch over her, but some quick glances back at him had signaled her knowledge of his presence... and her feelings of discomfort.

At first he was unsure why he was constantly drawn to this girl. She had only been introduced to him and his family about a month ago, maybe a little less than that. But as she continued to get to know and interact with his sons, he knew. The girl reminded him of someone from his past... someone who was long gone. Tang Shen, his beautiful wife.

It fit.

The nervous giggle at the end of a corny comment from Michelangelo. That smile, that reassured Donatello to continue in his demonstration of his new invention. The patience shown toward Raphael and Leonardo when they fought. The girl- or rather young woman, was even in the same age range as Tang Shen had been when they had been married... and when she had died. Slowly, his heart began to burn for her. But his mind fought him at every turn. This was unprecedented, she was NOT Tang Shen and he was no longer in his 30's like he had been when they had married. He was an old man, lusting after a young woman many years younger.

But then...

He had sent his sons out on patrol to gain some peace and quiet and to deal with his raging thoughts. There had been a knock at the entryway and a call, a sign the person wanted to make their presence known. It sounded like-

The sound of shuffling feet stopped in front of the dojo entrance.

"Oh hello Master Splinter, are the guys here? I just came to drop off some of their stuff."

He opened one of his eyes, and his suspicions were confirmed. The subject of his meditation, was standing in front of him. He informed her that his sons were out at the moment on patrol. She looked a little disappointed. "Ok, then I'll just leave this in the kitchen for them so they'll see it when they get back."

She turned to leave.

His thoughts of meditation had left him- she was here! Right in front of him!

'SAY SOMETHING!'

"Miss T!"

The girl stopped, her frame stiffening.

So, she had noticed his staring.

He had made her uncomfortable. But still she turned to him and smiled. "Yes?"

He stood, coming closer by stopped a little distance away so as not to frighten her. "I wanted to apologize if I have made you feel.. uncomfortable."

For a moment the her face showed shock, but slowly she calmed herself.

He had to say something to put her at ease.

"I can tell you have noticed my constant vigil over the past few weeks since you have come to know us."

He saw her smile falter slightly.

'Say something to fix this! Compliment her! Explain yourself!'

He felt like the young 30 something man again, trying to woo the woman he loved. He felt himself absent-mindedly rub the back of his head.

"... You remind me very much of my late wife, Tang Shen. She had many of the same mannerisms as you. She also cared very much for others and had a beautiful smile..."

His insides felt like they were being torn apart. This was not right! He should not be making advances toward someone so young, or anyone for that matter!

The girl was silent, staring up at him, seemingly judging how she should handle this advance on his part.

He could feel his face betraying his feelings. What would she say?

"... I take that as a compliment Master Splinter. From stories I've heard, your wife was a wonderful woman. So, it is an honor to be thought of so... warmly."

"...yes."

A compliment?

He felt his face flush under his fur. She believed he was complimenting her? Maybe this was a sign... of something good.

He had to know for sure though.

"W-would you care to join me for some tea, Miss T?"

Slowly she had nodded. "I'd like that."


	2. Chapter 2

His sons were out visiting with April and Casey. Despite several times a day praying for silence, the lair had become too quiet with their absence. His mind began to wander back to a dream he had had the previous night. Though it was not something he would like to admit, he thought about Miss T a lot more then he probably should. So it had come as no surprise to him when she began appearing in his dreams. This one in particular had been- well, most gratifying to say the least. They had been walking on a beach together, side by side. She had allowed him to hold her hand as they walked. The ocean swished over their bare feet and the wind whipped her silky sundress so that it clung to her. They finally stopped to rest under a umbrella planted in the sand. He laid back on the towel beneath them as he enjoyed the warm day and ocean breeze. "Enjoying yourself?"

He peeked one eye open curiously. She smiled down at him the wind gently blowing her hair back.

"Yes, but I would enjoy it much more if you would join me."

The girl chuckled. She put her hand on his chest as she bent closer to his face. "Aww is it lonely down there?"

He nodded, reaching out to brush back some of her hair. She smiled softly. "Well I can fix that."

Slowly she leaned in and kissed him. Then with a sigh she laid down with her head on his chest.

The dream had ended when the sound of his sons had woken him up. The thought of it still made him flush like a young man.

He shook off the daydream. He did not wish to think what he might do if he continued to let himself daydream in this silence. Thinking of Miss T, he remembered that it had been a while since she had come over. He pondered calling her- but no, that would be "weird" as his sons would say. But it would be rude to drop in unannounced. After several back and forth conversations with himself, he decided it would be best to call. The phone seemed to ring forever before she picked up.

"Hello?"

"Miss T? This is Splinter."

"Oh, hello Master Splinter. Is everything ok?"

"Oh yes, but I was-I was-"

His brain could not form a possible excuse for him wanting to see her, without explicitly saying it.

"... Master Splinter, would you like to come over and join me for tea?"

It took him a moment to recollect his thoughts. SHE was asking him over?

"Yes, o-of course. I would be delighted to."

"Ok, I'll put on the kettle so it will be ready when you get here."

"Alright, I will be over shortly."

His throat was dry, he was not sure if he should hang up, or really what was happening.

"Ok see you then bye!"

He barely had time to put together a response when she hung up.

A sense of shock still hung over him. But that was quickly replaced by an overwhelming feeling of joy. Quickly he prepared himself and set out across the city.


End file.
